Lights & lies

2021 October 1

Bob Mizon

Steve Tonkin, Dark Skies Advisor at the Cranborne Chase AONB International Dark Sky Reserve, recently wrote to the Advertising Standards Authority to point out that certain exterior lights advertised by a well-known domestic wares company were falsely described as ‘dark sky compliant’. The products were largely LED types of a colour temperature greater than 3,000K and most emitted light above the horizontal. This contravenes definitions of ‘dark sky compliant’ by, for example, the Institution of Lighting Professionals – the UK’s premier advisory body on lighting standards. Steve’s complaint was upheld and action was taken.

Any BAA member coming across such falsely described lighting products can consult bit.ly/3neUfAT and bit.ly/3nmM6ul to submit a complaint form, or report offending item(s) to the Commission for Dark Skies. My contact details are in the ‘Postholders’ section on the inside back over of this Journal.

Bob Mizon, Coordinator of the BAA Commission for Dark Skies